Media Releases
Date : 22 February 2021
Author: The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP & The Hon Paul Fletcher MP
The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP
Treasurer
The Hon Paul Fletcher MP
Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
23 February 2021
ADDITIONAL AMENDMENTS TO NEWS MEDIA AND DIGITAL PLATFORMS MANDATORY BARGAINING CODE
The Morrison Government will today introduce further amendments to the News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code.
These amendments will provide further clarity to digital platforms and news media businesses about the way the Code is intended to operate and strengthen the framework for ensuring news media businesses are fairly remunerated. These amendments will make it clear that:
Importantly, the amendments will strengthen the hand of regional and small publishers in obtaining appropriate remuneration for the use of their content by the digital platforms.
The Explanatory Memorandum will confirm that the Code only applies to the extent a digital platform is making covered news content available through those services.
These amendments also add further impetus for parties to engage in commercial negotiations outside the Code – a central feature of the framework that the Government is putting in place to foster more sustainable public interest journalism in Australia.
The Government has been advised by Facebook that it intends to restore Australian news pages in the coming days.
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